Little Sister
by italianangel38
Summary: Chapter 9 updated. Robbie's mother is sick, and his family comes together for what may be the last time, eventually they'll turn to the Camdens for help once again.
1. Default Chapter

Hey this is my first 7th Heaven fic, I hope you all like it, I don't own any characters unless I made them up- but you all knew that lol Please R&R. ***I know in my story I am stretching something a little and it isn't accurate but I was just having fun with this story***  
  
  
"-that's what I was thinking. So what do you think?" Lucy asks Simon.  
  
"Great." Simon answers  
  
"So which one then?" Lucy asks  
  
"Yea, me too."   
  
"SIMON!" Lucy explains  
  
"What?" Simon asks confused.  
  
"Your not listening to me. That's what" Lucy snaps  
  
"Sure I am" Simon defends himself  
  
"Then what did I say?" (Simon looks blank) "What's with you Simon?"  
  
"You wouldn't get it"  
  
"Try me" Lucy challenges  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"124, 126, 128- ow!"   
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run into you." Simon says  
  
"It's all right I was looking for my locker." The girl explains smiling  
  
"I'm Simon Camden" Simon introduces himself.  
  
"Amanda." The pretty brunette answers  
  
"So I take it your new here?"   
  
"Yea, I just moved here from New York."  
  
"That's pretty far. Why Glenoak?"  
  
"My mother got transferred, so we packed up and moved to the other side of the country." Amanda answers brightly  
  
"You seem to be taking it well."  
  
"Well actually I'm looking like I'm taking it well, I hate it here, but….it's seeming to look better."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"So that's it? A new girl moves here, and you think your in love with her, so you can't listen to me for a second?" Lucy yells  
  
"I told you, you wouldn't understand." Simon replies and leaves the kitchen.  
  
*********************  
  
"Simon, listen I'm sorry about what happened yesterday I didn't mean to yell." Lucy apologizes   
  
"It's ok" Simon says  
  
"OK so who is this girl?" Lucy asks  
  
"Right there." Simon points   
  
"Her?"   
  
"Yea."  
  
"I know her, I was talking to her yesterday at lunch. I didn't know she was the same Amanda though."  
  
Amanda turns around and starts heading towards Simon and Lucy, she looks up and notices them. "Hi Simon! Hi Lucy!"  
  
"Hi Amanda, I didn't know you knew my brother."  
  
"Simon is your brother? I didn't know that."   
  
"Yea, so you look…."  
  
"Lost, I am, I can't believe I keep losing my way here, my old school was so much bigger."   
  
"It's ok it takes a while to get used to it." Lucy smiles "I'll show you OK?"  
  
"Yea thanks, I'll see you later Simon."  
  
"Bye Amanda." Simon calls  
  
*******************  
  
"So you just said ok?" Lucy asks as she and Amanda go in the back door.  
  
"Yea." Amanda laughs  
  
"That's so funny, I wouldn't be able to of kept a straight face." Lucy exclaims  
  
"Hi Luce, what's so funny." Annie asks   
  
"Oh hi mom, this is Amanda, she just moved here. She was telling me about a time when she was swimming and a lifeguard jumped into save her but was just trying to get her number and when he told her she just said ok." Lucy explains  
  
"Yea and I could barely keep from laughing." Amanda adds  
  
"I could imagine" Annie laughs "You two hungry?"   
  
"Yea." They both answer  
  
"Hi mom, hi Lucy hi…Amanda?" Simon asks from the doorway.  
  
Amanda turns around "Hi Simon, come on sit down."  
  
"I will, just, Lucy can I talk to you a minute?"  
  
"Sure, I'll be right back." Lucy says  
  
"Oh I just remembered I didn't buy any meat for tonight's dinner, I'll be back tell the kids where I went, oh and would you like to stay?" Annie asks  
  
"Sure I just have to tell my mom."  
  
"OK the kids will show you where the phone is when they get back." Annie hurries out the door.  
  
Just as the door shuts Ruthie comes in. "Who are you?" She asks  
  
"Amanda."  
  
"Hi Amanda, I'm Ruthie."  
  
"Hi Ruthie."  
  
"Hey your the girl my brother likes. I heard him telling his friend yesterday on the phone. And I know everything that happens in this house." Ruthie adds  
  
"Really? I didn't know that."  
  
"So are you Lucy's friend too?"  
  
"Yea, you really do know everything huh?"   
  
"Yes like I said."  
  
"I can see that now, want some cookies?"  
  
Ruthie smiles "I thought you'd never ask"   
  
A few minutes later Lucy and Simon come back in to hear the end the Ruthie's and Amanda's conversation.  
  
"So Mary is in New York now. Does she live where you used to?"  
  
"No, you said Buffalo, I lived in Manhattan."  
  
"Oh OK. So anyway that's where Mary is, Matt lives at his own apartment but he his here so much he should just move back, Lucy and Simon live here of course and twins do of course cause they're babies. Oh and Robbie lives here too, but he isn't family but now he kind of is family."  
  
"Wow you have a big family."  
  
"Yes, how many people are in your family. 4, I have two older brothers."  
  
"You mean five, you forgot your dad."   
  
"Well my dad doesn't live with us. I haven't seen in long time." Amanda explains  
  
"Oh OK,So your the baby like I used to be?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How old are they?"  
  
"My brother's are 18 and 20."  
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"16."  
  
"Matt is 23 and Mary is 19 and Robbie is 20 and Lucy is 17 and Simon is almost 16,Sam and David are just babies, are you and Simon in the same grade?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well I am 10, to bad you don't have a younger brother, or sister."  
  
"Ruthie, now that your done finding out Amanda's life story why don't you leave?" Simon asks pointedly   
  
"Why? I like her. She likes me too, oh and she knows you like her." Ruthie smiles  
  
Simon glares at her. "Oh maybe I should go now." Ruthie gets up and hurries upstairs.  
  
"Where's my mom?" Lucy asks  
  
"She went to go get something for dinner. She also said to show me the phone so I can ask my mom if I can stay here for dinner."  
  
"The phone is over there, and I should go do some homework." Lucy says  
  
"Thanks bye Lucy." Amanda goes over to the phone "Hi…. mom? I'm going to stay over a friends house for dinner ok? Thanks. Yea I'll be home early, no it isn't far. OK. Bye"  
  
"So you can stay?" Simon asks   
  
"Yes I can, my mom probably doesn't feel like cooking anyway."  
  
"So you only live with your mom?"  
  
"Yup, my mom wasn't working for a while, then we moved to New York cause she got a good job there, but she got transferred out here. Which is better cause my brothers live out here."  
  
"So everything worked out good."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Have you seen your brothers then?"  
  
"Actually no, we only got here like 3 days ago, we've been so busy, and we don't know where they live out here. One of them is at college."  
  
"Hello, I'm home!" Eric says coming into the house, he notices Amanda "Hi I don't think we've met."  
  
"Dad this is Amanda she just moved here from New York."  
  
"Nice to meet you Amanda"  
  
"You too." She smiles.  
  
"I'm home, hi Eric, Amanda are you staying for dinner?" Annie asks  
  
"Yea, I'm allowed."  
  
"That's great, why don't you and Simon go watch some T.V.?" Annie suggests  
  
"Yea, come on Simon grabs her hand."  
  
*****************  
  
Robbie walks into the house. "Hey guys" He stops and sniffs  
  
"Is something wrong?" Eric asks slowly  
  
"Are you wearing perfume? Mrs. Camden?"   
  
"No not today Robbie."  
  
Lucy comes down the stairs and grabs a book off the counter, "What?" She asks Robbie  
  
"Are you wearing perfume?" He asks  
  
"No, but this is my friends shirt, it may be her perfume." She answers confused.  
  
"Maybe" He answers  
  
"It may be Simon's friend." Annie suggests   
  
"How come you want to know anyway?" Eric asks  
  
"Oh, someone I knew wears that stuff all the time, I know that smell anywhere. Oh well I'm have to get some stuff done. Call me when dinner's ready?"  
  
"Sure" Annie calls after Robbie as he goes up the stairs.  
  
"That was a little weird…right?" Eric asks   
  
"Yes, it was weird but I have no time for that I have to cook." Annie says  
  
************************  
  
Go to Chapter 2 they are getting put up at the same time.  



	2. Meet Amanda's Family

Here's Chapter 2! Please R&R (the part of the story I stretched for myself is coming up)  
  
"Kid! Everyone! Dinner!" Annie calls once the table is set and the food is ready.  
  
"Hey mom, have room for one more?" Matt asks coming into the house  
  
"Don't we always Matt? Bring this into the dining room"  
  
"Sure mom."  
  
Lucy, Ruthie and Eric file in and place the twins in their high chairs. Annie comes in and sits, Simon and Amanda come in, just as Robbie walks in.  
  
"Amanda?" Robbie asks  
  
She looks up. "Robbie? What are you doing here?"  
  
Ruthie tugs on Amanda's shirt "I told you Robbie lives here but isn't family remember?"  
  
"Yea, I know he isn't your family, she says still looking at Robbie."  
  
"You two know each other?" Annie asks  
  
"Yea." Robbie answers  
  
"Is she the one with the perfume?" Eric asks  
  
"Yea."   
  
"So wait how do you two know each other? He's too old for you two to go out…..right?" Simon asks  
  
"Why are you here?" Robbie asks  
  
"Me and mom just moved here."  
The Camden's sit in their seats very confused.   
  
"I have to stop coming home so much" Matt mutters.  
  
"I am still lost, how do you two know each other?" Eric asks  
  
Amanda makes a face. "I'll talk to you tomorrow Simon, Lucy, thanks for asking me to stay Annie, it was nice meeting you all." Amanda gets up and goes through the kitchen and they hear the door slam shut.  
  
Robbie sits down in his chair.  
  
"OK what happened?" Simon asks  
  
"That was my little sister." Robbie answers. "I'll be up in my room."   
  
"Wait I didn't know you had a sister." Eric says  
  
"She lived with my mom in Florida, I never saw here much, my brother Rick kept in touch with her, but I never found time too." Robbie leaves the room and goes upstairs  
  
"Wow that was exciting." Ruthie smiles.  
  
*********************  
  
"Hey Amanda, wait up!" Simon calls followed by Lucy the next day at school.  
  
She turns around "Hi, sorry about last night, I hope your mom wasn't mad."  
  
"No she wasn't." Lucy answers  
  
"That's good."  
  
"Robbie is your brother?" Simon blurts out.  
  
"He told you?" She asks her eyebrows raised.  
  
"Yes he did, he seemed upset." Lucy says  
  
"I'm sure he was, I have to get to class."  
  
"Wait" Simon says "We can still be friends right?"  
  
"Of course, just because my brother is a jerk and is living with you doesn't mean I'm going to not be friends with you."  
  
"So do you want to go to a movie tonight?" Simon asks  
  
"Yea."  
  
"I'll come by your house at 7 ok?"  
  
"See you at 7." Amanda says then disappears into a classroom.  
  
*****************  
  
"Why are you so upset?" Ruthie asks later on that day at her house.  
  
"Because I screwed up big." Robbie answers  
  
"How?"  
  
"I haven't talked to my mom or sister is so long, I didn't even know she moved here. Then yesterday I didn't even make her stay and talk to me. We used to get along so well."  
  
"She seems really cool." Ruthie says  
  
"She is, and she's smart. She's not a screw-up like me."  
  
"Your not a screw-up Robbie, you just made some bad choices." Annie says  
  
"Annie's right, but you should of talked to Amanda yesterday."  
  
"Well now I wont get the chance, I don't even know where they are living." Robbie says  
  
"Oh well I think you'll see a lot more of her around here. Amanda and Simon have a date tonight." Eric whispers  
  
"They what? She's too young to date." Robbie exclaims  
  
"She is 16 you know." Ruthie says  
  
"Maybe your right." Robbie agrees  
  
Simon comes into the kitchen. "You ready to go Dad?"  
  
"Yea, let's go." Eric grabs his keys.  
  
"Hey Simon, don't touch her ok?" Robbie says forcefully.  
  
"Yea man, no problem." Simon says going out the door.  
  
"See your doing better already." Ruthie pats Robbie on the back.  
  
****************  
  
Later on after the movie   
  
"I had fun, I liked the movie." Amanda says   
  
"Me too" Simon takes her hand "I like you a lot"  
  
"I like you a lot too." She smiles  
  
"You hungry? Want to get some pizza?" Simon asks  
  
"Sure."  
  
Once inside.  
  
"You know Robbie threatened me before I left."   
  
Amanda raises her eyebrows "Oh yea?"  
  
"Yea, he said I better not touch you."  
  
"So he's trying to pull a big brother role now?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"He can have fun trying." Amanda shrugs  
  
They finish up their pizza and go outside to wait for Eric.  
  
"I want to kiss you." Simon says.  
  
Amanda smiles "So why don't you?"  
  
"Cause I don't want to get killed in my sleep."  
  
"So what if I kiss you?" She asks  
  
"Then I think I am safe for little while."  
  
"Good." She leans over and kisses Simon. They break the kiss because of a horn honking, as Eric pulls over to the curb.  
  
"You guys have fun?" He asks trying to ignore the fact they were kissing.  
  
"Yup." Simon opens the door and Amanda climbs in and he follows her.  
  
****************  
  
"Thanks for the ride. Mr. Camden. Bye Simon."  
  
"Bye Amanda" Simon calls.  
  
Eric honks as he pulls from the curb.  
  
They pull up in front of their own house a few minutes later.   
  
"Hi mom" Simon greets Annie.  
  
"Hi Simon have fun?"  
  
"Yea, I did"  
  
"What is it?" Eric asks Annie  
  
"Robbie went over to Amanda and their mom's house." Annie explains  
  
******************  
  
Amanda unlocks the door and walks in. "Mom?" She calls out.  
  
"In here sweetie." Grace (her mom) calls  
  
"Hi mom- Robbie? What are you doing here?" Amanda asks angrily  
  
"Listen I-"  
  
"I'm really tired mom. Night" Amanda gives her mom a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Tomorrow's Saturday" Grace says "She's upset Robbie, she had to live with out you or Rick or her father so long, it's going to be hard on her, go talk to her, she isn't tired."  
"So how come you not mad or anything?" Robbie asks  
  
"Because I knew you were upset about your father leaving and moving here was probably best for you and your brother." Grace explains "Go talk to her."  
  
Robbie walks down the hall and knocks on Amanda's room. There is no answer and Robbie looks to his mom, who nods. Robbie opens the door and goes in.  
  
The light is off, so Robbie feels for a light switch and turns on the light.  
  
Amanda is sitting on her bed by the window looking out it.  
  
"Hey Amanda." Robbie starts  
  
"Look mom may forgive you for leaving us, but I don't." Amanda cuts him off  
  
"What about Rick?" Robbie asks knowing he was setting himself up.  
  
"Rick kept in touch with us, but you acted like Dad and didn't call or anything, I got used to living without any of you three, I don't need any of you now."  
  
"You guys came here to try to find me and Rick and be a family again." Robbie protests  
  
"Mom did, I was fine living without any of you."  
  
"I don't believe you, I know you too well." Robbie says sitting on her bed.  
  
"Right." She looks at him. "I haven't seen you in close to two years, you can't just come here and try to act like nothing happened." She says crossly  
  
"I was a jerk."  
  
"Still are."   
  
"OK I am a jerk, but I went through a lot of crap here too."  
  
Amanda looks back out the window.  
  
"I went out with Mary and tried to go to far with her and I cheated on her, I almost got married because this girl told me she was pregnant."  
  
"Yea, sounds tough on you all right."  
  
"I was homeless and the Camdens took me in, then dad came back and tried to get me to live with him but disappeared of course he only wanted money. He wanted me to hate mom. I got back on track with the help of Mr. Camden, I straightened out go a job, I'm going to school."  
  
Amanda doesn't answer. So Robbie gets up and goes to the door.  
  
"You were homeless?"   
  
Robbie stops "Yes."  
  
Amanda looks down. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be, it was my own fault."  
  
"Dad called me the other day too, he wanted me to lend him some money."  
  
"What money? Your always broke?" Robbie asks  
  
Amanda smiles slightly.   
  
"So what happened?" Robbie asks  
  
"He said we could make it big, make the big money, then he said he had to go take care or something first and never called again."  
  
"Did you tell mom?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"It's better off that way."  
  
"I guess."  
  
"I really am sorry, I shouldn't of left you alone for that long."  
  
"You know I always knew Rick would leave, he hated the way our life was, all the fights in the house with mom and dad and all, but I always thought you were going to stick around."  
  
"I know and I was, but everything got so hard. So I just ran as far away as I could."  
  
"You succeeded."  
  
"I wish I hadn't"  
  
"Right."  
  
"No really, someone had to look out for you, since mom is always working. You grew up a lot."  
  
"That's what 2 years can do."  
  
"Yea"  
  
"So do we have a truce?" Robbie asks  
  
"Yea." Amanda gives Robbie a hug   
  
"Good"  
  
"But you're still a jerk." She jokes.  
"Uh huh. Fine, ok, so you like Simon huh?"  
  
"Yea I do."  
  
"So how was tonight?"  
  
"It was good"  
  
"OK."  
  
"Yea especially the kiss." She smiles  
  
"He kissed you?" Robbie exclaims  
  
Amanda just smiles  
  
"Oh me and Simon are going to have some problems I see." Robbie jokes.  
  
"Just don't kill him, I kinda like him."  
  
"I won't." Robbie promises  
  
"You know I am glad that me and mom moved here, I always did miss you."  
  
"I'm sorry I never called, I didn't think you would talk to me."  
  
"I don't know if I would of either." Amanda answers truthfully.  
  
"Well I have to go, I have to work tomorrow." Robbie gets up.  
  
"OK good-night."  
  
"Night Amanda." Robbie goes out of her room.  
  
Amanda leans over and picks up the phone, "Hello…..Simon?…..Yea Robbie just left…..yea it was ok actually..….tomorrow?…….sounds good…….night…." She smiles and hangs up the phone  
  
  
  
TBC"d please R&R for me,   
  
A/N: I know Robbie didn't have a sister but that was just what I wanted to add in for my story I hope you all liked it.  



	3. A big secret

Here's the next chapter thanx for all of the reviews on my other chapters! Keep R&R please!  
  
  
"Where'd everyone go?" Robbie asks coming into the kitchen were Simon is eating a snack.  
  
"Out." Simon answers through a mouthful of food  
  
"Why aren't you out?" Robbie asks  
  
"I will be soon"  
  
"With my sister?"  
  
"Yea….but it's just dinner"  
  
"You better be careful….don't try anything……"  
  
"I swear man" Simon says holding up his hands  
  
"All right, well I have to go take care of a couple of things. I'll see ya later."  
  
"Bye" Simon calls  
  
10 minutes later the doorbell rings "Maybe Robbie forgot something…" Simon says aloud. He opens the door. "Amanda?"  
  
"I should of called. But my mom was out and I got bored, and you said no one be home and I'm not really hungry anyway….." Amanda says in a rush  
  
"Come in" Simon opens the door more. "So what do you want to do?"  
  
"Hey can you show me where my brother stays? I want to see what kind of get up he has here."  
  
"Sure come on" Simon goes upstairs "This one is Robbie's room"  
  
"Where's your?" Amanda asks  
  
Simon smiles "Mine is in here." He opens his bedroom door.  
  
"Nice" Amanda says walking in "I like it"  
  
"Thanks"   
  
Amanda spins on her heel "You know at first I wasn't really happy that I moved here. I mean I didn't want to see my brothers after they ditched me" She takes a step closer to him "But I met you and everyone else. You though, you made this place even better then it would of been. I like you a lot" She leans in and kisses Simon.  
They continue kissing, and Amanda presses her body closer to Simon who puts his arms around her waist.   
  
Suddenly they find themselves on the bed and Simon stops "Wait, I don't want to make you do anything you'd regret."  
  
Sitting up confused Amanda asks "You don't want to?"  
  
"Well yea, but I don't know if you want to, and it doesn't seem right and-"  
  
"You never have?" Amanda asks  
  
"Yea. Of course- I mean- yea- yea"  
  
"Oh my gosh I am so sorry- I feel like an idiot" Amanda gets up quickly  
  
"Wait you have?" Simon stops her  
  
Amanda nods silently "Sort of, I don't want to explain it though, it just after that it seemed- never mind, I got to go"  
  
Amanda hurries down the stairs and as she gets to the front door, Robbie walks in, Simon is still coming down the steps.  
  
"Amanda! What are you doing here?" Robbie asks, he notices her flushed face, and panicked look. "What happened?"  
  
"Nothing." She goes to leave, but Robbie catches her arm   
  
"Did he try something?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Did you try something?" Robbie demands  
  
"No I swear. We were just- I was showing her the rooms and-"  
  
"Nothing happened Robbie we just kissed. Simon isn't like that….." She trails off  
  
"So what you're saying that you are?" Robbie demands  
  
Amanda looks surprised and quickly looks down. "It's not like that" She answers quietly  
  
Robbie looks back and forth between the two of them "One of you better speak up now!" He yells  
  
"What's going on?" Eric asks coming in the door "What's the yelling about?"  
  
"I came home and Amanda was running down the stairs all upset and Simon was coming down after her. None of them are talking" Robbie explains angrily still holding onto Amanda.  
  
"What?!?" Eric exclaims  
  
Amanda shrugs out of Robbie's grip "Nothing happened Mr. Camden, Simon would never try anything like that."  
  
Eric looks at her thoughtfully and Amanda takes the lapse in talking to slip out of the house.  
  
"Simon what happened?" Eric asks  
  
"I was showing her upstairs, she wanted to see where Robbie stayed then we walked into my room and we started kissing and I stopped cause it felt like it was going to far. And she freaked and then ran downstairs" Simon explains  
  
"Why did she 'freak'?" Eric asks  
  
"She asked if I had ever done- that and I said no and asked if she did and she said something like no or sort of -it was confusing- but didn't want to talk about it and then left"  
  
"Sort of?" Eric asks  
  
"Are you positive?" Robbie asks  
  
"No, I don't know it happened so fast"  
  
************************  
  
"Mom!" Amanda says abruptly running into her mom at the door "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm going away for the weekend to visit Rick, some parent orientation or meetings or something, nothing you would go to." Grace explains  
  
"So where am I staying?" Amanda asks already knowing the answer  
  
"At the Camdens I already talked to Annie and she and Eric are fine with it."   
"Can I stay here mom?"  
  
"Nonsense, now go pack for the weekend, I'll be back Monday afternoon so make sure you have your school books"  
  
Amanda makes her way to her room, grabs a duffle and hastily throws some clothes inside.   
  
"Ready?" Grace calls from the doorway  
  
"Coming!" Amanda yells back  
  
"I'll be in the car"  
  
************************  
  
"Annie so nice to see you, I can't thank you enough for letting Amanda stay with you"  
  
"Well hey, we already have one of them…why not two right?" Annie jokes  
  
"Well anyway thanks again. I'll see you Monday sweetie" Grace gives Amanda a hug good-bye.  
  
Annie shuts the door behind Amanda   
  
"Why didn't you tell her?" Amanda asks immediately   
  
"Tell her what?"   
  
"I know that Mr. Camden or Robbie or someone told you what happened today"  
  
"Eric did, yes. But I didn't want to say anything yet. I have a feeling there is more then you are telling. Want to talk about it?"  
  
"Honestly?" Amanda asks  
  
"Yes please"  
  
"Honestly I don't want to talk about anything." Amanda answers  
  
"Well why don't you bring your stuff up to Lucy's and Ruthie's room, there's a bed set up for you there. Maybe you'll feel like talking later"  
  
"Thanks" Amanda says grabbing her bag and heading upstairs  
  
In the hall upstairs she runs into Simon  
  
"Hey, you're here already?"  
  
"Yea"  
  
"Can we talk?"  
  
"I don't want to talk Simon, talking doesn't help or get you anywhere." Amanda goes past him and goes up to the room.  
  
"Was that Amanda?" Robbie asks  
  
"Yup and she doesn't want to talk" Simon answers  
  
"I'll get her to talk"  
  
"Maybe you both should give her a while." Eric suggests "For all of your sakes"  
  
"OK" They both agree  
  
"Hey it's almost time for dinner" Ruthie says walking into her room  
  
"Hi Ruthie"  
  
"Come on lets go eat"  
  
"I'm coming" Amanda follows her downstairs  
  
They all go down and eat, but it is mostly quiet with little conversation. After dinner Eric asks Amanda to come with him a moment.  
  
Amanda follows him into the living room "Please sit" Eric says and Robbie walks in and he shuts the doors behind them.  
  
Amanda looks at them expectantly   
  
"I want to know what's going on, cause I know you're not telling everything." Robbie announces  
  
"There's nothing to know" Amanda defends  
  
"How about sort of?" Eric says "Sort of isn't an answer to that kind of question."  
  
"Works for me" Amanda says stubbornly  
  
"You need to talk, it seems apparent that you have had-had-" Eric says  
  
"Sex? Is that what you want to know? Yes I have had sex, can I go now?" Amanda asks   
  
A little shocked Eric nods, but Robbie stops him "Excuse me, but Mr. Camden would you excuse us, I need to talk to my sister"  
  
"Sure" Eric gets up  
  
"No you don't" Amanda jumps in  
  
"Yes, I do, sit down" Robbie orders her  
  
"I'll be outside" Eric says shutting the door.  
  
"What's going on in there?" Annie asks  
  
"Amanda said she did have sex, but I don't think it's like that, it's more then just that she had sex."  
  
"So Robbie's talking to her?"   
  
"Yes, and it's killing me that I can help her but she wont let me"  
  
"I think it will be good for Robbie to talk to her." Annie assures Eric  
  
"I hope so"  
  
********************  
  
"I don't believe that you just had sex, just like that" Robbie says calmly  
  
"Why cause I'm too young, your little sister could never do that? What is it?"  
  
"Both of those and that's not like you."  
  
"So what is me?"  
  
Robbie sighs "Look I don't want to fight with you I want to help you. Why were you upset when you ran downstairs?"  
  
"Cause I was embarrassed, I made an idiot of myself"   
  
"It was more then that"  
  
"So?"  
  
"Come on Amanda you can tell me"  
  
"No I can't"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Cause I can't and you wouldn't believe me anyway, I don't even believe it sometimes. It was my fault anyway. I was an idiot"  
  
"Why?" Robbie asks sitting down next to her  
  
"Cause I wasn't careful, I didn't pay attention like mom always told me too, like you did too."  
  
"I'm confused" Robbie says  
  
"My drink, I wasn't paying enough attention, someone slipped something into my drink. I was totally out of it. I sort of remember but it's all fuzzy and blurry"  
  
A sickening feeling washes over Robbie as it starts to make sense "What happened?"  
  
"I was at a party and some of your old friends were there, and I got a drink and me and Jen were talking to some of the guys, I had a drink in my hand but when I was talking I put it down to write down someone's phone number……..next thing I knew…….Jen came got worried that I was gone so long and she got your friend Mike to help her look for me and she found us in a room" Amanda says softly looking at her hands  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Jake"   
  
"My old best friend Jake?" Robbie yells, Amanda nods "I'll kill him!"   
  
"It wasn't his fault, and I never said anything cause it wasn't that long and I didn't want to tell anyone and you were just leaving and-"  
  
"I was still home? And you didn't tell me?"  
  
  
"You were so happy to leave, if I told you, you would of stayed behind"  
  
"Of course I would of, are you crazy? How could you of not said anything?"  
  
"Is everything OK?" Eric asks walking in  
  
"It's fine" Amanda pushes past him and runs upstairs  
  
"What happened?" Eric asks  
  
"Amanda didn't have sex. She got raped" Robbie exclaims  
  
"She what?"  
  
"I'll go check on her" Annie runs upstairs  
  
  
TBC'd soon I promise please R&R for me thanx!  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. I'm Sorry Robbie

Sorry it took so long for this chapter to get up I was working on sum other stuff and FF.net got all screwy…..and here is it please R&R  
  
Amanda walked hastily up to the room she was sharing with Lucy and Ruthie, and on the way she bumps into Matt.  
  
"Hey what's hurry? Where's the fire?" He jokes  
  
Amanda looks confused "What fire?" She asks  
  
"It was a joke….hey are you ok?"  
  
"I will be if everyone would stop asking me that question!"  
  
"You've been talking to my dad huh?"  
  
"And your mom and Robbie." Amanada adds pointedly   
  
"Point taken….."  
  
"Yet you still want to know." Amanda states  
  
"Well……"  
  
"Unbelievable! Your entire family can't stay out of someone's business."  
  
"Hey wait, I didn't mean it, I mean yea. I mean I just cared and I wanted to help." Matt tries to defend himself  
  
"Forget it." Amanda huffs running up the stairs  
  
"Amanda!" Lucy says when Amanda runs into the room  
  
"I don't want to talk. I'm going to sleep." Amanda pronounces as she goes to the bed made up for her.  
  
***********************  
  
"Good morning or should I says Good afternoon?" Annie greets Amanda as she shuffles down the stairs the next day.  
  
"Do you know?"  
  
"Yes I do" Annie answers Amanda.  
  
"Good, then we don't need to talk." Amanda takes a seat. "Does Simon know?"  
  
"Yes he does."  
  
"Who else does?" Amanda asks curtly  
  
"No one does, it none of anyone else's business."  
  
"No. Plain and simple my life is only my business."  
  
"There's more isn't there?" Annie asks as Amanda avoids eye contact.  
  
"Isn't there always more to life." Amanda replies going upstairs, to get showered and dressed.  
  
She returned downstairs about an hour later. Tells Annie she is going for a walk and hurries out the door. Amanda walks into the park and idly sits on a park thinking about her life for the past couple weeks.  
  
"The Rev, is going to try to make you talk to him sooner or later."   
  
Amanda looks up as Simon takes a seat next to her.   
  
"How long have you been out here?"   
  
"What time is it?" She asks  
  
"4:30."   
  
"Over an hour then." Amanda answers   
  
"That's about how long I've been looking for you, Mom said you woke up at like two."  
  
"I was up at 12, I was thinking til two."  
  
"Is that what you were doing now? Thinking?" Simon asks  
  
"Yes."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Everything. I feel like I can't get out of my own head."  
  
"I know the feeling. So your mom called this morning, Lucy answered the phone."  
  
"What'd she say?" Amanda questions  
  
"That she hasn't seem Rick in so long and that'll she'll have plenty of time to see Robbie since he lives so close by and you obviously….so she's staying there for a few more days."  
  
"Figures, Rick is her favorite baby."  
  
"I doubt that, you obviously the favorite. So anyway I was going out to find you and my mom says to track you down and bring you to your house to get some more clothes for yourself." Simon tells her.  
  
"Then lets go." Amanda gets up and smiles brightly.  
  
Simon laughs. "I don't know how you do it."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"You go through all this crap, and your still smiling."  
  
"Only when I'm around you Simon."   
  
"Good" He takes her hand and leads her in the direction of her apartment.  
  
**********************  
  
"Hey can I use your phone?" Simon asks as Amanda packs up some clothes.  
  
"Sure, calling your house?"  
  
"No my friend just beeped me, says it's important." Simon replies  
  
"Phone's in the kitchen." Amanda calls   
  
Simon goes into the kitchen and makes the call. "Hey Amanda!" Simon says walking into her room  
  
"What's up? Everything ok?" She asks going through her closet.  
  
"Better then ok." He goes over to her and grabs her in his arms. "You want to go out tonight? I already called my mom she said it was ok."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"To a party, some guys are having, they said to bring you."  
  
"Why? And you mom said it was ok to go to a party."  
  
"Because they said it's time for Simon to make his cameo appearance with his girl. And my mom said it was ok for me and you to go and hang out at a friends house, so you could meet some new people. Which in a way this wasn't entirely a lie."  
  
"Ohh your bad Simon Camden" Amanda giggles giving him a kiss. "Let me change and then we'll go."  
  
"My mom is coming to pick us up and drop me off at my friends and they're going to bring us over. So bring the clothes you want to wear to the party with you, so my mom wont figure it out."   
  
"All right give me a second." She goes back over to her closet and Simon grabs her bag and goes outside.  
  
"Hello Amanda." Annie says as Amanda climbs into the car.  
  
"Hi." Amanda answers softly  
  
"OK Simon who's house again?" Annie asks  
  
"Jay's"   
  
**************  
  
"Have fun you two and thank Jay's mom for giving you guys a ride home later." Annie calls as she pulls away from the curb.  
  
"Simon Camden, what's up man?" Jay says opening the door.  
  
"Hey Jay, this is Amanda."   
  
"Hello Amanda. Come on in, Mike, Nikki and Lori are all here."  
  
They all go inside. "Guys this is Amanda and you all know Simon."   
  
They all respond with a hello or hey.  
  
"Uh Jay where's you bathroom." Amanda asks  
  
"Come on I'll show you." Jay motions her to follow him  
  
"Hey Simon, so that's your girlfriend." Lori asks   
  
"Yea, she had to change, my mom dropped us off here."   
  
"Oh you little rebels you." Nikki jokes  
  
"You guys ready to go?" Amanda asks five minutes later when she's done changing.  
  
"Damn." Mike whispers under his breath. Amanda was dressed in form fitting black bell-bottoms, with a baby blue tube top underneath a long sleeve sheer black shirt.   
  
"Hey you look great!" Nikki exclaims  
  
"Thanks" Amanda smiles sincerely   
  
"All right let's go." Jay makes a sweeping motion with his hands.  
  
"You look awesome" Simon whispers in Amanda's ear as he takes her hand as they walk out to the car.  
  
"You don't look so bad yourself." She smiles   
  
"Yea Jay lent me a shirt I wasn't exactly dressed for a party." Simon answers tugging at his shirt.  
  
"I'll have to thank Jay later then."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Making you look so good." She answers climbing into the car.  
  
******************  
  
"All right" Jay says before they go into the house. "I have to leave here by 11:00, so I beat my parents home if you guys want a ride back with me, meet me by my car then. Got it? Great let's go have some fun."  
  
"Want to dance?" Simon asks  
  
"Yes." Amanda answers following him out onto the dance floor.  
  
They start to dance, catching the attention of Mike and Nikki. "Hey Nik check out Camden and his girl."   
  
"Yea, there really working it." She smiles "Simon seems happy with her."  
  
"Yea he is. He likes her a lot."  
  
"Hey anyone want a drink?" A guy interrupts them holding some cans of beer.  
  
"Sure." Mike and Nikki each grab one and the guy continues making his way around the room   
  
"Beer?" He asks Simon and Amanda.  
  
"Thanks" Amanda grabs one, Simon follows  
  
"I didn't think you drank." Simon tells her  
  
"You mean cause of what happened?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
Amanda taps the top "Closed drink." She pops it open and takes a drink.  
  
Simon does the same with his.  
  
About an hour and a half later, someone yells for everyone to get out, because the cops were coming. Simon and Amanda meet up with Nikki, Mike, Lori and Jay at the car and get out of there just before the cops pull up.  
  
"Holy crap that's an adrenaline rush!" Mike exclaims  
  
"You're not kidding." Simon agrees  
  
"So Amanda, how was this for you first Glenoak party?" Jay asks  
  
"Kind of like the ones we had in New York except there was usually no warning with the cops." She answers  
  
"Whoa, what happened?"   
  
"Well, about two weeks before I moved out here, we were at this party on a dock, and these two guys got so drunk that they fell in, some girl freaked and called for an ambulance but didn't tell anyone, so they ambulance and cops pull up cause she mentioned they were fighting and we all got busted."   
  
"You get into trouble?" Lori asks  
  
"Am I in Glenoak?" Amanda laughs "I'm kidding, I was pretty out of it myself, so my friend Ryan got me out of there. Some people did get into a whole lot of trouble though."  
  
Jay chuckles as he pulls into his driveway "Well it's only 10, so we can have our own little party right here for an hour." He suggests  
  
Everyone agrees and they all go inside.   
  
"Damn Jay it's freezing in your house." Amanda comments as they girls go into the kitchen to make some drinks.   
  
"Here" He throws her a sweatshirt from a closet.  
  
"Thanks" She replies putting it on and sitting next to Simon on the couch.  
  
"Did you have fun?" Simon asks  
  
"Yea I did, did you?"  
  
"Yea, mainly cause you were with me."  
  
"Thank you." Amanda gives him a kiss.  
  
"So did you always go to parties like that back in New York?"  
  
"My mom was never home, I hated being alone all the time and my friends were always at parties…so that's where I was." Amanda shrugs "It just became like a way of life for me."  
  
"Come on, we're going to do shots downstairs." Mike calls  
  
"Let's go see what there doing down there." Amanda suggests getting up.  
  
Amanda was almost at the bottom of the stairs when Mike started to joke around and tickled Nikki, since she was drunk, she jerked forward and fell into Simon, who stumbled forward and hit into Amanda causing her to stumble down the remaining steps landing hard on her knee.  
  
"I am so sorry." Nikki exclaims rushing over to Amanda. "Are you OK? Mike your an idiot!"  
  
"Hey I'm sorry, but I'm not the one that's wasted."  
  
"Bite me." Nikki retorts "Can you stand up?"  
  
"You OK?" SImon goes to Amanda.  
  
"My knee hurts." Amanda groans. "A lot"  
  
"We should take her to the hospital" Nikki says "Her knee may be fractured."  
  
"Since when did you become Ms. Know it all?" Mike asks  
  
"Since my mom is a doctor." Nikki answers  
  
"Maybe she's right" Simon says "It looks pretty bad."  
  
"Are you kidding we're going to get busted for drinking then" Mike exclaims  
  
"No, just Simon, Amanda and Jay go. They had the least to drink, go take a swig of Listerine before you go too, they won't notice a thing." Nikki instructs.  
  
"All right come on." Simon helps Amanda up, but her knee buckles under the pressure. " Jay help me get her up the stairs."  
  
"All right" Jay grabs her "You guys put away all those drinks and then get out, lock my door before you leave too." He instructs  
  
"Wait before we go I should change back into my jeans at least." Amanda protests  
  
"We should just get you to the hospital" Simon says  
  
"No, Simon she's right." Jay replies  
  
"I'll help her." Lori says "You guys go get the car ready."  
  
********************  
  
"Easy." Jay says as they help Amanda sit in a chair in the waiting room. "I'll go get someone to help us."   
  
"How much does it hurt?" Simon asks  
  
"A ton." Amanda answers pained  
  
"She's over here." They hear Jay say as a nurse comes over with a wheelchair.  
  
"Easy does it sweetie." She says, then to Simon "Go and call your parents and make sure someone from her family comes with them."   
  
"OK I'll be right back." Simon goes to the pay phone.  
  
*********  
  
Simon hangs up the phone and Matt spots him. "What are you doing here Simon?"  
  
"Uh there was an accident, but everything is ok. Dad and Robbie are coming down here now."   
  
"Why Dad and Robbie? Did Amanda get hurt?"  
  
"We were fooling around at a friends house and she fell down some stairs." Simon explains  
  
"What room is she in?"   
  
"Over here. But she's not going to be happy to see you, you didn't give her the best impression of you the other day." Simon warns  
  
"Matt, what are you doing in here?" Dr. Jenkins asks  
  
"Simon is my brother and Amanda is his girlfriend." He explains "How is she?"  
  
"She fractured her knee. It must of been a nasty fall." Dr. Jenkins answers  
  
"Try three people tripping and me at the bottom." Amanda laughs  
  
"Tripping? What do you mean tripping."  
  
"Don't get so paranoid Matt. Her friend tickled his girlfriend and she reacted hitting into Simon and causing this lovely lady to plummet down the remaining steps and fall right on her knee. A graceful fall I would imagine." He jokes  
  
"To say in the least." Amanda smiles  
  
"Ray left?" Simon asks noticing his absence   
  
"Yes, he said he was sorry, but he had to get home, but to call him tomorrow." Amanda answers  
  
"OK well I'm going to get you some crutches, a nice brace for that knee and some pain killers because you will most definitely be needing those." Dr. Jenkins says getting up.  
  
"Thanks." Amanda calls  
  
"Amanda what happened?" Robbie rushes in with Eric.  
  
"I fell down the stairs at Jay's house." Amanda replies "Fractured my knee"  
  
"She already saw the doctor?" Eric asks Matt  
  
"He's getting her crutches a brace and pain killers at this very moment." Matt answers  
  
"Well now that there are a multiple of people in here, is anyone family?" Dr. Jenkins asks  
  
"I am." Robbie replies  
  
"Good then you need to fill this out." He hands him a chart and goes to work putting a brace on Amanda's knee. "OK painkillers no more then 3 times a day and at least 3 hours apart one at a time, keep some ice on your knee for swelling, and try to stay off it for the rest of the weekend. Come back in a week so I can check how it's healing. Thank you all and good night." Dr. Jenkins says handing Amanda her crutches  
  
"I'll go get the car." Eric leaves.  
  
"I got to get back to work, I'll see you guys tonight." Matt walks out the door.  
  
"This sucks" Amanda groans  
  
"What your knee?" Robbie asks  
  
"No, now everyone is going to be trying to 'talk' to her now." Simon answers for her.  
  
"Yea well we need to, and we need to talk about you drinking tonight too." Robbie adds  
  
Amanda looks surprised "How did you know? And why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"I didn't say anything cause your my sister, now there daughter, so it's not there place to know. And I knew because I'm not an idiot."  
  
"What does that mean?" Amanda makes a face.  
  
"Glassy eyes, listerine breath, four people don't just fall on the stairs, and I know when your lying." Robbie counts them off. "Come on let's go."  
  
"Robbie." Amanda says  
  
"What?" He turns "And don't try to get out of this, I'm here now and things are going to change, we're going to be a family again and-"  
  
"I'm sorry Robbie."  
  
To be continued please R&R and I'm not sure but I can't review stories rite now from my comp. So if it isn't working for you I still want to hear your review so email it to me. Italianangel1438@hotmail.com 


	5. The Talk

Hey thanx for all of you guys reviews I like to know how I'm doing so please, please, please keep reviewing for me! Thanx so much! lol I hope you guys like this chapter.  
  
Robbie and Eric sat in the front of the car and Amanda and Simon sat in the back. Simon looked helplessly at Amanda, things were really screwed up for her. Amanda watched the houses pass her by listlessly.   
  
"We're here." Eric breaks the silence as they pulled into the driveway.  
  
"I got it." Amanda mutters as Robbie attempted to help her.  
  
"How'd it go?" Annie asks after everyone is in the house.  
  
"There's a lot going on with Amanda, between her family deserting them basically, her being raped, I don't know how she manages to put a smile on her face everyday and put people in front of her." Eric admits  
  
******************  
  
"Want to sleep in my bed?" Ruthie offers as Amanda hobbles into the room  
  
"Thanks but no." Amanda replies sitting down.  
  
"You sure it's comfortable." Ruthie adds   
  
"Ruthie."   
  
"Ok I was just trying to do something for you, things haven't seemed to be easy for you since you got here."   
  
"My life has never been easy."  
  
"My life gets really complicated too, I mean sometimes Lucy has to cook dinner cause mom's too busy with school or the twins or even worse Dad had to cook and believe me that's not a pretty picture and Matt moving out and Mary leaving, that wasn't fun." Ruthie says laying on her bed facing Amanda.  
  
Amanda looks away studying the floor lost in her thoughts.  
  
"Does anyone call you Mandy?"  
  
"My father used too."   
  
"Not anymore though?"  
  
"I haven't seen in a long time."   
  
"That must make you sad, it would make me sad."   
  
Amanda smiles at Ruthie's childish innocence and nods "Yes it does make me sad."  
  
"I thought it would and the fact that Robbie and Rick left that has to be sad too….. does you knee hurt?"   
  
"A little bit, I took painkillers though."  
  
"I'm going to go downstairs do you want anything?"   
  
"No I'm all right, thanks."  
  
"Night…..in case you fall asleep." Ruthie calls from the doorway.  
  
"Night Ruthie." Amanda sighs   
  
"Hey. I thought you might need these….a peace offering you know?" Robbie jokes holding out some aspirin and a glass of water.  
  
"Thanks." Amanda accepts them. "But why are you apologizing to me?"  
  
"Cause I feel responsible, I'm your older brother."  
  
"I know you've told me that, but I make my own choices, I choose to drink, no one forced me."   
  
"Someone did force you to have sex with them though."   
  
Amanda grimaces   
  
"I wish you had told me Amanda." Robbie says  
  
"I know, but I couldn't, I was embarrassed and I was scared and he told me no one would believe it, I mean who would, a perfect church boy, "A" student, honor roll….no one would believe me. And besides he was drunk."  
  
"Who do you think slipped something into your drink?"  
  
"I want to leave the past in the past. I was doing just that."  
  
"Until you were with Simon, don't you think it's going to come up every time you even consider having sex…..and I DON'T want you to consider it for a long time."  
  
"Why not? I've already had it what does it even matter?"  
  
"It screws up your life when your not ready for it. I know from experience."  
  
"I know from experience too, after that happened and you and Rick were both gone, mom started working a lot. I didn't want to be home alone, so I started going to parties and I would drink. I didn't care I had no family, I had an empty home, I only had my friends. I got into trouble in school all the time but I always managed to keep mom from finding out, then one day I got suspended for fighting and the school wanted to see what was going on with me, I had always been the "perfect" student. They managed to contact mom and she found out everything. But she never told them I had forged all her signatures or anything like that. She didn't want me to be in more trouble then I was and that I was going to be in." Amanda takes a deep breath  
  
"What happened?"   
  
Amanda shrugs "Mom gave it to me good, I got lectured for hours I got so mad at her thinking she had some nerve to desert me and then yell at me for something that was her own fault. I left the house and I went out with some friends. I got so drunk my friends were scared I was going to die that they brought me home. I didn't know but while I was gone mom packed up our entire apartment, called the movers and everything. I woke up in the car. She told me we were driving to California, we were going to start over." Amanda smiles "Then she told I had better not throw up in the car."   
  
"That is so not like mom" Robbie says surprised "And so not like you."   
  
  
"I knew that was coming."   
  
"Don't you have any regrets?"   
  
"Of course I do, but I stopped caring a long time ago. I gave up hope so long ago I just went through the motions of things." Amanda looks at Robbie. "Listen I know you had your reasons to leave and I know you keep thinking that's why I screwed up, don't blame yourself, I make my own choices and I live with the consequences."   
  
"Your life it sounds like the life of a kid who grew up on the streets with druggies for parents, we're above that."   
  
"Sometimes their life seems to make more sense, they know their story and what's going on. Not me, I so screwed up."   
  
"You seem so fine though, so ok. You know you walk in with a smile, give people advice, listen to them, talk to them. Simon loves you, and everyone else likes you. You look like you live the perfect life. When you walked in here you didn't look any different then you did the day I left you."   
  
"Mom says my eyes look sad. She says they always used to look happy, but now even if I can convince everyone I'm fine, my eyes look sad." Amanda shrugs. "I can barely remember a time I was truly happy….until a few days ago."   
  
"When you met Simon."   
  
"Yea, he's not like guys I know, he seems like he truly cares and he's real. Guys I've been with aren't like that."  
  
"I wish I hadn't left." Robbie tells her  
  
"You can't change the past."   
  
"Only the future can be determined." Another voice added "I think you two finally worked this out." Eric walks into the room "I apologize for listening but I couldn't help it-"  
  
"Don't worry about it, maybe it was for the best." Amanda assures him  
  
"I think, I know that if you keep looking at yourself inwardly you'll see you have never changed at all, you are still the same girl you were when your family was together, that whole thing maybe it was your way or dealing or rebelling against the situation, or how you expressed your need for help." Eric sits down on the bed.  
  
"I know I haven't changed I just got lost along the way." Amanda tells him "I've been going to counseling for 4 months now I just switched into this school district because we just moved to a new apartment. That move from Florida to here was 4 months ago, mom knew where Rick was but not you when we thought I was better we moved closer to where you last lived, I never knew you lived with the Camdens though. That was all by chance." Amanda says  
  
"I can help you too, if you want me to, all of your family. You all have to stay honest with each other."   
  
"I think that will be good." Robbie says  
  
"I just screwed up with the drinking tonight cause my past was flooding into my head and I've talked about the drinking and fighting and parties before but never about being –raped. And to be completely honest I am ok, It was good for me to get that off my chest but the reason I've been acting weird lately even though I honestly have worked through this is- well mom had been planning to move out here for a while, the fight was just the last straw. It made her move sooner then planned."  
  
"Why were you planning to move anyway?" Robbie asks  
  
"To be closer to out family. You see when dad left and you guys left and mom had to start working and I was always gone at different hours she started to get really stressed and she started to smoke again, but really heavily." Amanda takes a deep breath "Mom's sick."   
  
Robbie takes what she just said in and sits back his eyes wide and full of concern. "So you're really ok?" He asks  
  
"I'm fine, I'm going to be going to counseling, and maybe next week if I have the courage I'll talk about Jake and getting raped. I'm not going to drink, I know it doesn't get you anywhere and I don't want mom to worry about me more then she does, she doesn't want me to screw up or anything. I don't want her to feel like she always has to be watching me."  
  
"I'm glad your ok, and for some reason I know you're not lying to me." Robbie says struggling to get the words out "What's wrong with her?" Robbie asks  
  
"Cancer." Amanda responds softly  
  
To be continued…..ok I know this was all dramatically but I kind of like doing drama, I don't know lol…..so tell me what you guys want to see in later chapters more drama? Or lighter scenarios? Thanx again for all the reviews. 


	6. Whispers

Hey thanx to all of you for your reviews I love reading them sooooo much lol please please keep R&R for me thanx! I hope ya all like this chapter.  
  
  
"It's Cancer" Eric whispers to Annie. "Amanda has been going to counseling for a while to get help with dealing with her drinking and sneaking out and fighting. She never told anyone ever about the rape, and she freaked when she did and that's why she drank."   
  
"So she really moved here because her mother wants to be near her sons during this time." Annie whispers back  
  
"Robbie is at an age where he is capable of taking care of someone so is Rick although maybe less willing. If Grace wanted her kids near her she would of sent for them." Eric answers  
  
"So what do you think it is? Grace wants to make amends with her sons in case something happens and Amanda needs to be cared for. Is that what your thinking?" Annie asks  
  
"It certainly looks that way. I don't know how advanced her cancer is though, I don't think Amanda does unless she isn't letting it on of course."   
  
"Then what are you planning on doing about this?"   
  
"I'm not so sure yet, I want to see how much Amanda does know first before I jump into this." Eric replies  
  
***********  
  
"Amanda's mother has cancer." Simon whispers to Lucy "I went upstairs to go and talk to her and I heard them talking. She's been going to counseling too, because of all the trouble she had gotten into from fighting and drinking and stuff like that."   
  
"Wow I never - you know like thought that someone who seemed as sweet as Amanda could be capable of that kind of stuff if what your saying is true." Lucy says wide eyed  
  
"All of it." Simon answers nodding his head. "But I think she's changed from those ways, she said she was finally happy, because of me."   
  
"Simon she's probably having a hangover, and she's taken painkillers this could all be some sort of twisted illusion."  
  
"I never thought you could be so judgmental, this is Amanda we're talking about."   
  
"Come on Simon we've known her for what a week?" Lucy retorts she stops when they hear a door slam for a moment "I'm sorry I've had a stressful day, you're probably right and I probably overreacted."   
  
"You did overreact ok." Simon replies angrily and storms off, he notices Amanda's crutches propped against the wall right outside the doorway. Simon sighs and rushes towards the door. Once outside he stops noticing Amanda hasn't gotten far and is sitting on the bench outside the door. "I thought you had left." He says sitting next to her  
  
"I wasn't lying. I don't do that anymore. But you and Lucy have every right not to believe me. You know your parents are talking about me in the kitchen." She chuckles "They think there's more to our moving here then that my mom wants to be near her kids, they think she might be so sick she wants to have me reconnected with Robbie so he'll take care of me."   
  
Simon studies her carefully, her face much more pale then when he met her, her eyes seemed sort of dull and lifeless, her face was expressionless, her hair lay limply around her. She looked tired and so small sitting there. "What is it?"  
  
"Do you think that's true? That my mom is so sick but didn't tell me?" Amanda asks looking at her hands.  
  
"I only know what you told me, but I think that if that is true then you've got a smart mother, and I think that if that be the case that Robbie cares enough about you that he'd be there for you."   
  
"I hope so." Amanda replies  
  
"Amanda, Simon, what are you two doing out here?" Robbie asks  
  
"Talking." Amanda answers  
  
"Haven't you had enough of that for one night?" Robbie jokes back, he notices she only shrugs in response. "Listen I heard them talking to, if mom really is that sick, and I'm not saying she is, but I will be there to take care of you."   
  
"I know you will, but it would never be the same."   
  
"I know it wont, but mom will be fine."   
  
"Don't make a promise you can't keep." Amanda whispers  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's what mom told dad when he left. Don't make promises you can't keep. Don't promise that mom will be ok, you don't know that."   
  
"Then at least don't worry all right?" Robbie pleads.  
  
"Robbie's right." Simon agrees   
  
"Why are you all outside?" Ruthie opens the door. "Thanks for inviting me. Oh Amanda the phone's for you." Ruthie holds out the phone  
  
"Hello?- how'd you get this number? No I know, yea………Where is she? So why did you call? Oh." Amanda gets quiet and looks down as she listens.  
  
"Ruthie who was on the phone?" Robbie asks  
  
"A guy, he didn't say who" Ruthie shrugs  
  
"One of your friends maybe, about tonight?" Robbie suggests  
  
"Her face is too serious for that." Simon replies   
  
"OK, all right. I got to go though, no he's here. Yes right now. No I don't think that's a good idea. You're coming back when? Why tomorrow? This should be great…..no I'm not holding a grudge, yea bye." Amanda hangs up thoroughly annoyed  
  
"Who was that?" Simon asks immediately   
  
"Rick" Robbie answers "He's the only person that pisses her off like that."   
  
Amanda nods.   
  
"So he's coming here with Mom tomorrow? I guess that means she told him."   
  
Amanda nods again, eyebrows raised. Her eyes shining in the light. Robbie realizes she is about to cry.   
  
"Ruthie can you go inside please? I need to talk to Amanda." Robbie asks  
  
"All right, I'm tired anyway." Ruthie agrees  
  
"I think it really is that bad." Amanda says as soon as the door shut behind Ruthie  
  
"Come on Amanda you don't know that."  
  
"Why else would Rick be coming back with her and both of them early? What else could that mean?" Amanda challenges  
  
"Amanda, Robbie's right you don't know anything yet." Simon argues  
  
Robbie is looking down. "No, she's right, something is wrong for them to be coming back early and for Rick to be coming with her."   
  
Amanda shakes her head looking up at the sky. "I hate this." She mutters softly  
  
"We're going to get through this no matter what the outcome." Robbie assures her "That's a promise I can keep."   
  
"It's amazing you know, how much someone could transform in what seems like overnight." Eric says to Annie as they listen in on their conversation  
  
"You really can't make a habit out of eavesdropping you know." Ruthie says pointedly coming up behind them.  
  
"We're not eavesdropping, we're just…" Eric trails off  
  
"Obtaining information?" Ruthie asks tapping her foot and crossing her arms  
  
"Yes."  
  
She rolls her eyes "Same as eavesdropping." And goes upstairs  
  
Amanda , Robbie and Simon walk in then and see Annie and Eric hovering around the door.   
  
Amanda the colored once more drained from her face goes straight upstairs Simon close behind her. Robbie shakes his head. "Rick's coming is not good. Listen I want to talk to my mom and Rick tomorrow before Amanda gets a chance, I'm going to go while you guys are at church, the only thing is she wont leave the house while she's waiting to find something out meaning…."  
  
"She'll refuse to go to church." Annie finishes "I think we can make an exception in this case."  
  
"Yes I agree." Eric replies "Why don't you try to go and get some sleep."   
  
********************  
  
Amanda stumbles out of bed the next morning and took a quick shower, toweled off and got dressed. She noticed how quiet the house was as she saunters downstairs and saw Annie rushing to clean the twins mess. "Where are you all going?" Amanda yawned  
  
"Church, but you can stay here in case your mom calls but she said she's be back this evening, then Robbie reminded us of your stubbornness and how you most likely wouldn't budge."  
  
Amanda smiled because she knew how right that was. "Let me clean that for you." She offers  
  
"Thanks, that'd be great we'll see you later." Annie rushes out to the car.  
  
Amanda cleans up the mess of baby food and just as she finishes Simon walks downstairs, rumpled and tired looking.   
  
"Your not at church?"  
  
"I don't feel good." Simon groaned  
  
"Hangover?"  
  
"I don't think so, I got fever too."   
  
"Aww, go back upstairs I'll bring you some tea or something." Amanda smiles happy to be keeping herself busy.  
  
"Here." Amanda sits on Simon's bed with a cup of tea and some crackers. "Stomach Virus is going around, or maybe it's just a cold."   
  
"I'm not really hungry anymore." Simon admits  
  
"I figured that, anything I can get you?"  
  
"No, thanks though."   
  
"All right." Amanda gets up to go to the doorway. "Simon" She hesitates going from foot to foot.   
  
"What's wrong?" Simon asks sitting up  
  
"That other day when this all started, how come you didn't want to….."  
  
"I didn't want to pressure you I guess."   
  
"Oh." Amanda looks around avoiding eye contact.   
  
"Did you ever have sex after…"  
  
"Yea." Amanda replies softly "I couldn't see any reason not too….only once though."   
  
"Was it how you thought it should feel?"   
  
"No."   
  
"So why did you want to have sex with me?"  
  
"Cause I really like you and I can tell your different, enough that you would turn away a chance. Most guys wouldn't."   
  
"You're right."   
  
"So then you're not ready?"  
  
"I don't know, were you?"  
  
"Not really, I thought I was ready for anything."   
  
"I understand you and I wont ever push you to do something you do want to…one question though."   
  
"What?"  
  
"Kissing isn't off limits right?"   
  
"Of course not. Maybe more even" Amanda smiles coyly as she kisses his neck  
  
"Mmmm." Simon groans happily as they continue kissing.   
  
**********  
  
"Crap!" Amanda mutters breathlessly as her beeper goes off. Simon lays his head on her lap while she checks her beeper.   
  
"Who is it?" He asks studying her face  
  
"My house, my mom's home." Amanda answers softly   
  
Simon sat up and put his arm around her in support. She exhales deeply. "I got to go, I need to face this sooner or later anyway. Don't get up, you're still sick remember?"   
  
"Don't give up hope." Simon kisses her forehead and watches her walk out of his room as he lay back down onto his pillows.   
  
"I'll call you later." Amanda's last words to him were.  
  
To be continued please R&R thanx! 


	7. Family Ties

Please R&R thanx!  
  
  
"Hey anybody home?" Amanda asks opening the door to her house  
  
"In here" Grace calls  
  
"I was hoping for no one" Amanda mutters to herself.   
  
"Amanda, sweetie it's so nice to see you, so nice to be home" Grace walks into the foyer.  
  
"Are you all right mom?"   
  
"We'll talk about that when we all sit down, your brothers are already here." Grace goes into the living room.  
  
Amanda takes a seat next to Robbie, facing Rick.   
  
"Hey Amanda" Rick attempts a smile  
  
"Shove it Rick." Amanda replies  
  
"Amanda, can you at least try to be nice to your brother? It's bad enough all of this dispute I want an end to be put to it." Grace announces "I'm sick, I'm not going to get better at this point and if something happens to me all you three have is each other."   
  
Amanda sits back and crosses her arms stubbornly, Robbie nudges her.   
  
"Amanda" He hisses  
  
"I'm sorry mom." Amanda says as though on cue.   
  
"Listen Amanda I know things haven't been especially easy for you. You had the hardest time out of all of you three" Grace tells her "Being the youngest or whatever the reason is why."   
  
"I'm fine." Amanda answers evenly   
  
"Mom, New York was hard on her." Robbie starts and Amanda flashes an angry look at him to silence him.   
  
"What happened in New York?" Rick asks  
  
"I was working all the time, I had to pay the bills and for the food and such. I wasn't around much, Amanda got into a little trouble that's all" Grace says simply   
  
"At all" Amanda cuts in "You weren't around at all, but it's all right. I'm fine, we're here and everything is fine." Amanda says looking at Robbie.  
  
"Amanda"   
  
"Robbie." Amanda glares at him.  
  
"Listen Amanda" Rick starts  
  
"Don't Rick." Amanda holds up her hand "Are we done here?" She asks standing up  
  
"Wait, there was something I wanted to tell you all." Grace stops her "I'm very sick right now. More then I was before."   
  
Amanda looking shocked sits back down "How sick?"   
  
"I'm going to be admitted into the hospital tomorrow evening." Grace answers  
  
"When were you going to tell me you were this sick?" Amanda demands "I knew you wanted me out here so Robbie and Rick could take care of me, but how could you not even mention this? How long have you known?"   
  
"Amanda quit it" Robbie grabs at her.   
  
"It's all right Robbie. Before we moved the doctor told me I had, had a relapse and I would need to be admitted into a hospital soon and that it was worse- the cancer had spread. So we moved out here and I've been an out-patient since we moved." Grace tells them  
  
"So you just lied to my face." Amanda asks angry "How could you lie like that?"   
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you."   
  
"Yea well I think you failed with that notion." Amanda gets up and stands by the door with her arms crossed.  
  
Grace looks at Robbie and Rick "What are you two thinking?"   
  
"I'm thinking this family is doing a lot of lying and needs to start being honest with each other." Robbie stands up  
  
Rick looks angry "How could you just move out here and dump this on us? Tear Amanda from her home and tell her you may not be there for her? Mom what were you thinking?"   
  
"I was thinking that I'll be in the hospital the day after tomorrow and I need someone to stay here with Amanda so she's not out on the streets." Grace answers  
  
"I'll stay" Robbie assures her.   
  
"I'll stick around too" Rick adds  
  
"Great one big happy family" Amanda says sarcastically then leaves and slams the door to her room.  
  
Robbie looks over to Rick who says "Hey I'm not going in there, she'll bite my head off."   
  
"You're her brother you can't just let her go like that" Robbie pushes him  
  
"Sorry man, I mean I want to know what's going on and I know something is but she wont tell me"   
  
"I'm going to go and get some rest" Grace gets up and goes to her room.   
  
"Simon?" Amanda asks  
  
"Hey"   
  
"Did I wake you up?"   
  
"No, I was up" Simon answers "How'd it go?"   
  
"Horrible, but I'll live, I'm not sure my mom will but…." Amanda trails off  
  
"She's that sick?" Simon asks  
  
"Yep. You want to hear something crazy?" Amanda laughs "I want a drink, it's a vicious circle."   
  
"You're not going to right?" Simon asks concerned  
  
"No, mixed with the painkillers? Do you know what a bad mix that would be? Don't worry about me Simon. So you going to be in school tomorrow?"   
  
"Yea, are you?"   
  
"I don't see why not" Amanda replies "I'll see you tomorrow."   
  
********************  
  
"Hey Luce, have you seen Amanda today?" Simon asks the next day in school.  
  
"Sorry, maybe she stayed home her mom is going into the hospital tomorrow" Lucy suggests  
  
"She said she'd be here" Simon says wishfully   
  
"Ask and you shall receive" Lucy smiles  
  
"What?" Simon asks confused  
  
"Look" Lucy points, Simon turns and sees Amanda walking down the hall. He goes over to her.  
  
"Hey Amanda"   
  
"Hey Simon" Amanda's face breaks into a smile "What's up?"   
  
"Nothing school same'old same'old" Simon replies  
  
"I wish I could say the same, how do you feel today?"   
  
"Not like I may pass at just because I'm standing up, so much better."   
  
"Great. I've got to get to class, and I'm not going to be here tomorrow so I'll call you tomorrow night I guess all right?" Amanda smiles  
  
"All right" Simon gives her a kiss and watches her disappear into a classroom.  
  
*******************  
  
"Here's your things" Amanda hands her mother her bag.  
  
"Thanks" Grace goes into the bathroom to change.   
  
"I don't know how you're so calm" Robbie says to her "I was nervous this morning just packing my things."   
  
Amanda smiles "Unfortunately it gets easier with time"   
  
Grace comes out in a hospital gown and gets into bed. "I'm going in for tests in a few minutes, and if everything is a go-"  
  
"You'll be in surgery tomorrow, and if that goes good you'll be home next week" Amanda finishes  
  
"Exactly, I don't know how I'd do this if you weren't here Amanda" Grace smiles  
  
"Don't give up hope mom" Amanda answers as a nurse comes in to get Grace. Robbie and Amanda go out into the waiting room. "Where's Rick?" Amanda asks  
  
"Home- er your house."   
  
"That's kind of weird, it's his home now too isn't it?" Amanda asks making a face.  
  
"Yea, sounds off doesn't it? I guess we'll get used to it eventually."   
  
"Thanks for not saying anything yesterday, I don't want to burden mom with anything, worry doesn't make someone get better."   
  
"I'm not saying it's good, but I do understand you're point and you have to be the person to tell her."   
  
"Which I'm not going to." Amanda says firmly   
  
"So how long does this take?"   
  
"An hour or so. Depends if they think they've found anything."   
  
"Want to go and get something to eat?" Robbie asks  
  
"Sure" Amanda agrees  
  
"Does your knee still hurt?" Robbie asks her as they go down to the cafeteria.  
  
"It's not that bad anymore, does Matt work here?" Amanda asks looking around  
  
"Yep, that's him the guy giving us that look" Robbie points "The one trying not to be noticed."   
  
Amanda smiles "Is he always that- off?"  
  
"No, he just has his moments."   
  
"All right" Amanda replies following him.  
  
****************  
  
"That was the longest day I've ever endured" Rick yawns as they walk into their apartment.  
  
"That's nothing compared to some days" Amanda remarks throwing her jacket over a chair.  
  
"Not possible" Rick sits on the couch   
  
Robbie laughs "She's been doing this longer, she'd know"   
  
"Maybe. So what was it you two weren't telling mom yesterday?" Rick asks  
  
Amanda raises her eyebrows and looks over at Robbie who smiles. "I guess you're not as out of the loop as we thought you were."   
  
"Yea Rick I should of given you more credit" Amanda laughs  
  
"Good try Manda, talk to me" Rick crosses his arms stubbornly   
  
"Rick you do know that Amanda is about as stubborn as you if not more." Robbie tells him.  
  
"Amanda" Rick says "I'm still waiting you can fool mom but not me"   
  
"What is it with you two? You both just like know everything? Have this dog like intuition?"   
  
"So I'm right?" Rick asks  
  
"Yep" Robbie tells him "Amanda got into some trouble in New York, I knew we should of stuck around longer."   
  
"You told him didn't you?" Amanda says accusingly "About the drinking and sneaking out or-"  
  
"Not coming home at all, fights, suspensions……. Jake? Yea Robbie pre-warned me last night when I confronted him" Rick tells her  
  
"He would of beaten the crap out of me" Robbie defends himself "Besides you had no intentions of telling him, you're still stuck on being mad at him."   
  
"I'm not mad at Rick, I just think that you're doing this only because mom wants you too and I'm holding you back. Like you don't want to leave mom hanging again." Amanda says sincerely.   
  
"Well that's not how I saw this and I wished you had called me and told me or asked for my help."   
  
"I'm sorry" Amanda apologizes "Really"   
  
"It's all right." Rick accepts "Truce?"   
  
"Truce" Amanda agrees.   
  
To be continued…. Please R&R 


	8. When it Rains it Pours

Please R&R, you might want to get a tissue I actually cried writing this one.   
  
Amanda gasps waking up out of a rigid sleep Sunday night. She gropes around for the light switch and turns on the light. She jumps out of bed and goes to the bathroom. Her skin is all clammy, she's hot and her eyes are stinging. Amanda leans over and splashes some water onto her face, then goes into the kitchen.  
  
Breathing heavily she picks the phone up off of the receiver and starts to dial. She glances at the clock it reads 2:45 A.M.  
  
"Hello, Glenoak General how may I help you?"   
  
"Can you connect me to room 324 please." Amanda asks nervously  
  
"Hold please."   
  
Amanda stands up and gets a cup out of the cupboard and pours a glass of water.  
  
"Hello?" The receptionist comes back on and Amanda freezes "Are you family?"   
  
"Ye-yes I am, it's my mother. What's wrong?" Amanda asks nervously  
  
"Do you have a ride down here sweetie?" She asks Amanda   
  
"Why?"   
  
"There was some complications you know you're mother is very sick."   
  
"She just had surgery the tests came out ok. They said everything would go all right from here." Amanda says quickly her heart catching in her throat.  
  
"Tonight the doctors found that they haven't beaten the cancer, your mother may not get better this time. You may want to come down here as soon as you can." The receptionist advises  
  
Amanda slowly hangs the phone up and drops the glass in her hand because she is shaking so much.   
  
Robbie wakes with a start at the sound of glass breaking. He goes into Rick's room and wakes him up. "Rick did you hear that?"   
  
"Sounds like someone broke something." Rick mumbles  
  
"At three in the morning?" Robbie asks doubtfully  
  
"All right, I'm up." Rick gets out of bed. "Amanda's in the kitchen, she probably dropped something."   
  
Amanda slides down until she is sitting on the floor, she starts to pick up the broken pieces of glass listlessly and doesn't notice when Robbie and Rick walk in.  
  
"I told you she dropped something." Rick turns to go back to bed.  
  
"Amanda" Robbie kneels down next to her and he notices her pale face. "Amanda what's wrong?"   
  
"We've got to go to the hospital." Amanda whispers and Rick stops. "I got this- this feeling and I called and they said she's sick and we should get there as soon as possible."   
  
"Are you sure?" Rick asks walking back over.  
  
"Of course I'm sure!" Amanda's voice rises   
  
"Calm down, I'll get my keys and we can go." Robbie gets up and gets his keys. "Come on."   
  
Amanda gets up and follows Robbie out Rick not to far behind her.  
  
**************  
  
"Grace Palmer" Robbie says at the desk.  
  
"Go in, the doctor will be there shortly." The receptionist urges them on.   
  
"Mom?" Amanda hurries in  
  
"Amanda?" Grace asks hoarsely. "Why are you here? All of you. It's so late."  
  
"What happened?" Amanda asks tearfully  
  
"Oh honey, I'm still sick, but don't you worry Robbie and Rick are here now."   
  
"What about you?" Amanda asks  
  
"I've been sick for a while now, and I haven't been getting better. I tried prolonging this for so long coming into another hospital, but it was inevitable." Grace smiles "I don't need a doctor to tell me I'm not leaving the hospital this time."   
  
Rick looks shocked. "What? No mom come on. You'll be fine you just need more medication or chemo or something."   
  
Amanda straightens up looking numb. She goes over to the window and looks out. "It's starting to rain." She says softly to herself. She turns and faces her mom "You said out in California, when it rains it pours."   
  
"I did." Grace nods  
  
"Then I guess it's beginning to pour." Amanda looks back out the window. "Funny how it rains tonight right?" She smiles  
  
"Mom you can't die." Rick pleads  
  
"Just try to hold on." Robbie adds  
  
"Robbie, go to the desk over there and sign those papers you too Rick." Grace instructs them  
  
"What are they?" Rick asks  
  
"Guardianship papers for Amanda." Robbie answers "Mom we don't need to sign these you'll be fine. Amanda tell her."   
  
Amanda looks scared. "Sign the papers Robbie."   
  
Robbie looks at Rick. "Don't do it Robbie, we don't need to." Rick says forcefully   
  
Robbie rubs his chin and looks in the doorway as the doctor enters, Robbie glances back down at the papers and signs his name. Rick looks away, then back at Robbie when he hands him a pen. Robbie takes it carefully and signs it slowly.   
  
The doctor walks over to them "That was a wise choice." He says gravely  
  
"Tell me you can do something for her." Rick says through clenched teeth.  
  
Amanda goes to her mother's side and takes her hand. "Does it hurt a lot?"   
  
Grace nods and inhales deeply.   
  
"The cancer is too advanced, your mother can no longer fight it, it's spreading too rapidly." The doctor tells them quietly  
  
"I don't want you to die." Amanda whispers to Grace.   
  
"I know sweetie, I know. But it would hurt too much to stay. I can't bear the pain any longer." Grace whispers  
  
"I'll leave you all alone." The doctor gently places a hand on Rick's shoulder and then leaves.  
  
"Mom." Robbie goes over to her. "I'm sorry about everything about leaving and not calling and trying to get away and-"  
  
"It's all right" Grace hugs him close. "Rick, you too everything will be all right."   
  
"Not it wont, if you die." Rick exclaims pained, he takes her hand. "I left, I abandoned my family."   
  
"You're here now." Grace smiles "That's what is important, and I was able to accomplish what was most important to me. Putting you three back together, you need each other. Be strong for each other and help each other. Try not to fight and if you do don't let it last too long." Grace's takes a sharp painful breath, the pain becoming stronger. "And don't ever forget that I love all of you." Grace smiles at them.   
  
"I love you too mom" Amanda whispers giving her a kiss. Robbie and Rick both do the same.  
  
"Then everything was worth it, don't ever forget that love wins out in the end." Grace closes her eyes momentarily "There's an envelope in the desk in my room at home don't forget to find it when you go home." She closes her eyes once more and takes a breath each one getting more and more painful. "Both of you… take care of my baby girl." She looks at them all once more smiles, then closes her eyes and takes her last breath.  
  
Robbie slowly lets go of Grace's hand and places it alongside her. He backs away fighting back the tears. Rick goes over to the window and looks out, sure enough it has begun to pour. Sheets of rain were coming down.  
  
Amanda stands by Grace's side still holding onto her hand. A few minutes later a nurse walks in and shuts off the machines, then draws the curtains so they can have some privacy.  
  
Amanda's knees begin to buckle and she tries to stay standing in vain, she sinks into the chair besides the bed and buries her face in her hands curling up into a ball.  
  
The three of them remain in silence for almost an hour lost in their own thoughts. The nurse comes in around 4:30 and looks at them worriedly "Why don't you kids go home? You'll need your rest the next few days aren't going to be easy on you."   
  
"Yea." Robbie mumbles, and Amanda gets up slowly, Rick walks out followed by the other two.  
  
Amanda opens the door the their house and goes into her mother's room and lays in her bed. Rick turns to Robbie. "I'll go clean up the glass, we uh left it there before."   
  
"All right." Robbie agrees and goes into his mother's room, to her desk and locates the envelope she had mentioned. Inside it contained a copy of her will, and explained that the apartment was paid off for the year. The hospital bills were paid, and to call Reverend Camden for help with the funeral services. Robbie cringes at the thought that his mother had to plan this out ahead of time. Robbie glances at Amanda who is laying there, her hair soaking the pillows from the rain outside. Not knowing what do say to her, he leaves and goes into his own room.  
  
Please R&R, the rest of the characters will be in the next chapter which will be up soon. 


	9. Aftermath

Please R&R  
  
"Simon, Amanda isn't in school today." Lucy catches up with Simon in the hall  
  
"Maybe she doesn't like Mondays" Simon jokes "I talked to her last night she seemed fine, maybe she's coming in late." He replies more seriously  
  
"I hope so, how's her mother doing?"   
  
"From what Amanda has told me she's getting better, they think that everything should go good from here on out." Simon replies "I hope so for her sake at least."   
  
"She's been living with her mother's cancer for a while now, I'm sure she's doing fine a little preoccupied but what can you expect?" Lucy says  
  
"I know, I wish I could do something for her though."   
  
"I do too, but we can't do anything but be there for her." Lucy pats his back "How about if she's not here by lunch we'll call her house?" She suggests  
  
"All right, I'll see you later." Simon walks off to class  
  
*****************  
  
"Robbie?" Amanda stands in his doorway   
  
"Hey." He greets her "How you doing?"   
  
"About as good as you can expect." Amanda takes a deep breath "We need to start the funeral arrangements."   
  
"I know, we have to go to Reverend Camden, that's what mom wanted."   
  
"She planned this out?" Amanda sits down on his bed  
  
"Yea, she did in the note she left us."   
  
"Oh….. where's Rick?"   
  
"He went to pick up some things from the store, we were running low on food."   
  
"Yea, mom hadn't been eating much or cooking much, we didn't need much in the house." Amanda looks out the window "This is so weird."   
  
"I know, I keep expecting her to come in here and tell us dinner is ready or something like that." Robbie smiles faintly "Have you talked to Simon?"   
  
"No, he's in school anyway." Amanda shrugs "I don't know what to say to him."   
  
"I know the feeling. I'm going to go by Reverend Camden's office this afternoon, you want to come?"   
  
"No, I'm just going to stick around here."   
  
*******************  
  
"Has Amanda come in?" Lucy asks Simon, who shakes his head "All right let's go call her house." Lucy goes over the phones and makes the call. "No one's home." Lucy tells him hanging up. "I hope nothing happened."   
  
"Me too. You know I'll talk to you later I've got some things to take care of." Simon replies distantly walking away, he goes to his locker and takes a book out looking for something.  
  
"Simon?"   
  
Simon looks up "I was just looking for the number you gave me for you mom's hospital room. I was worried about you."   
  
Amanda nods "I'm sorry I didn't call you or anything. Robbie just went to go and visit your father and Rick is out somewhere I didn't feel like being home alone anymore."   
  
"Why not?"   
  
"Do you want to leave? I didn't sign in, I just wanted to see you." Amanda asks him  
  
"Amanda is your mom all right?" Simon asks concerned  
  
She shakes her head, her eyes filling up with tears "She's uh, she died this morning."   
  
"Yea lets get out of here." Simon puts his things into his locker and takes her hand and they walk out of school.   
  
"I'm sorry, I wasn't planning on walking into school and just throw that at you." Amanda apologizes  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Simon asks gently as they walk over to a bench and sit  
  
"It's another crappy day out, my mom told me it never rains out here and when it does rain, it pours. I understood what that meant last night. And what do you know it poured." Amanda looks down "I woke up last night with this really bad sinking feeling so I called the hospital and they said to come down there. My mom knew she was about to die, so she had Rick and Robbie sign guardianship forms. I swear the that had to be why she stayed alive as long as she did to make sure we were all right and together. She died a couple of minutes afterwards."   
  
"I'm sorry, I don't even know what to say."   
  
"I don't either, she didn't deserve to die."   
  
"No one does." Simon holds her hand tight "Is there anything I can do for you?"   
  
"Being here is enough, I'm sorry I asked you to leave school you're probably going to get into trouble, maybe you should go back." Amanda looks at him  
  
"I'm staying with you. For as long as you want me to." Simon promises her brushing a strand of hair out of her face.   
  
She smiles gently at him and lays her head against him "Thank you."   
  
*******************  
  
"Robbie?" Eric looks up "Come in, how are things, I haven't seen you in a while."   
  
"I'm sorry about that things have been kind of crazy lately." Robbie sits down  
  
"Understandable, so what's up?"   
  
"I need to ask you a favor." Robbie replies tensely   
  
"I'll do my best, is everything all right."   
  
"I need you're help planning my mother's funeral."   
  
Eric looks shocked "I- I'm sorry. When did it happen?"   
  
"This morning, at like three in the morning."   
  
"Were you there?"   
  
"Yea all three of us were. My mother had wanted you to perform the services and honestly I don't know how to go about this. I don't have much experience with it." Robbie half smiles  
  
"Of course I'll help you out. How's your brother and sister?"   
  
"Rick is out, he left this morning. Amanda is hardly talking to anyone, she's still at home."   
  
"Why don't you come to my house for dinner tonight all of you?" Eric suggests "Then maybe we can start preparing for it."   
  
"Thanks, it means a lot to all of us." Robbie stands up   
  
"All right, we'll see you around 6 then."   
  
******************  
  
Annie opens the door that evening and finds Robbie and Rick standing there. "We don't know where Amanda is." Robbie explains her absence   
  
Annie smiles "Probably the same place Simon is, he left school after lunch and no one's heard from him since. I'm sure they're fine." She lets them in. "How are you guys doing?"   
  
"Been better." Rick replies and Robbie agrees   
  
"All right, well why don't we go eat dinner first?" Annie leads them into the dining room.   
  
"Hey Robbie." Lucy hugs him "I'm sorry, for all of you" She hugs Rick as well.   
  
"Yea me too. That shouldn't have happened." Ruthie walks over to them "I made you a card."   
  
"Thank you." Robbie smiles and accepts it, then takes a seat at the dinner table.   
  
"So how have you guys been holding up?" Eric asks taking a seat   
  
"Actually, we were both kind of wondering something." Rick replies glancing at Robbie  
  
"What?" Eric asks  
  
"We were both wondering if we should call our father and invite him. I mean would if be the right thing to do?" Robbie asks   
  
"I think it might be a good thing to call him, but ultimately it's up to you, all three of you."   
  
"Yea well since we're short one kid right now, why don't we eat?" Annie suggests bringing the food to the table.  
  
****************  
  
"Hey what are you two doing out here?" Matt pulls up on the side of the road.  
  
"Taking a walk" Simon replies  
  
"At 7:00 at night?"   
  
"It's not exactly late you know." Simon replies   
  
"Where were you today? You weren't home when I stopped by."   
  
"I was out."   
  
"With Amanda?"   
  
"Yes, he was with me." Amanda tells Matt. "We just didn't feel like going back."   
  
"Well why don't you get in and we'll all go back." Matt opens the door.  
  
"Sorry." Simon whispers as they get in. Amanda just smiles back.  
  
**************  
  
"Hey guys, look who I found." Matt walks into the dining room.  
  
"Matt made us come home." Simon explains, Amanda stands quietly in the background.  
  
Annie gets up to hug Amanda, but Amanda backs off. "Don't" She asks   
  
"All right, if you need to talk. I will."   
  
"Same goes for me." Eric adds  
  
"Me too." Lucy tells her  
  
"Listen, I really don't want to talk to anyone about anything." Amanda says to them all  
  
"Well why don't you sit down and eat something?" Annie asks  
  
"I'm not hungry." Amanda replies leaving the room Simon follows her out.  
  
"Did I miss something?" Matt asks confused  
  
"Oh yea." Ruthie mutters   
  
"What?" Matt questions looking around  
  
"Our mom died." Robbie pats Matt on the back and walks past him "We should probably get going."   
  
"Thanks for dinner" Rick stands up "I'll go get Amanda."   
  
"I'm here, let's go." Amanda says curtly walking in.   
  
"I'll call you tomorrow Robbie." Eric calls to him as they walk out the door. "Simon did she talk to you about it?"   
  
"Somewhat, she doesn't feel like talking much though."   
  
"I can see that, but it's for the best."   
  
"Sometimes talking isn't best, everyone deals in their own way." Simon answers  
  
"Yea but-"  
  
"No buts, just period." Simon tells Eric "I'll be in my room."   
  
****************  
  
"Amanda come on talk to us." Robbie follows her inside the house.  
  
"I don't want to talk."   
  
"Getting angry wont help, neither will running away."   
  
"Robbie just leave her." Rick tells him  
  
"No. She needs to talk."   
  
Amanda spins around "So what you spend a few months with a minister and now you know just what to say and do? Mom is dead, there's nothing to talk about."   
  
"How about how you feel? Of what you're thinking?" Robbie asks  
  
"I'm thinking that my life has just changed and I lost the only person in my life that cared about me and took care of me, that now I'm alone!" Amanda yells going into her room and slamming the door.   
  
"Ouch" Rick mutters "I told you, you should have let her be."   
  
"Shut up." Robbie replies going into his own room.   
  
  
To be continued…. Please R&R 


End file.
